The Delhi government has done away with as many as 62 criterion which were invoked to allot points to applicants for nursery admissions in city schools, saying they were discriminatory.
Apart from the much-touted management quota, others such as the first born child and girl child or parents excelling in music or arts have also been scrapped.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said apart from the 25% reservation for the Economically Weaker Section/Disadvantaged (EWS/DG) category, the remaining 75 % should be open for the general category.
This, according to the government, will provide a much-level playing field to the aspirants for nursery admissions.
There are several schools in the city which had been allotting 5-10 points for only child and girl child considerations.
According to the government, the points allotted to the first born and according to the gender of the child is discriminatory against parents who seek admission for more kids.
Further, the gover nment says that like management quota, schools cannot put siblings, alumni, staff as a category, but can allot points to the criteria.
{{/usCountry}}Further, the gover nment says that like management quota, schools cannot put siblings, alumni, staff as a category, but can allot points to the criteria.
{{/usCountry}}Read more: Kejriwal scraps mgmt quota for nursery admissions in private schools
“We welcome in-principle the scrapping of the management quota, but could pose a problem in terms of allotting points for siblings and alumni. Schools cannot reserve seats for siblings and alumni but they have autonomy in allotting points. It has happened in the past that the seats were filled in a reputed school by wards of alumni and siblings,” said Khagesh Jha, advocate and member of Social Jurist, an NGO which works in the field of education.
The government has said since some schools have allotted points for working parents, mothers’ class 12 qualification and professional experience, vegetarian or non-smoker parents, they will have to do away with these considerations or face de-recognition.
But experts pointed out that the government should have come out with the announcement much before the admission process started on January 1.
Further, even a Supreme Court order had said “rule of law cannot be changed during the game”. The judgment was made in relation to nursery admission, as changing rules midway will create panic among parents.
Schools can also not allot points for parents with transferable jobs, who opt to use the school transport, or have domicile of Delhi.